


Under the Lights

by goodnight-tae (SirenDreams)



Series: The band au: Exo [1]
Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Rock Band, F/M, Fluff, Rating May Change, Romance, band!au, rockstar!au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-12
Updated: 2019-01-29
Packaged: 2019-10-08 14:45:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,879
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17388338
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SirenDreams/pseuds/goodnight-tae
Summary: Who knew meeting up with a friend would lead to you dating one of the hottest rockstars around? [Kim Jongdae|Chen/Reader]





	1. One

**Author's Note:**

> Cross-posted/transfered over from my tumblr of the same name.

“I don’t know…” You murmured, glancing at the club from the safety of your car. You still could make a break for it if you hurried. Sure, your friend would be furious but she’d never be able to catch your car. “Isn’t kind of odd just to strut in and say we know the band? They’ll think we’re groupies!”

“We are groupies!” A pause on the other side of the line. “Well I am anyways. Childhood friends with the guitarist and have you seen their drummer? If I wasn’t considered a groupie already, sign me up.”

You sighed.

“C’mon, you promised! Besides, they’re all super nice and the singer is just your type.” You could practically see the eyebrow waggle that accompanied that remark. “Muscular, tattooed, and I think he has a piercing or two. Oh and just wait until you hear him sing! Vocal range for days, I swear. Just come in, say hello and stick around for a few songs. If you don’t like the music or you aren’t comfortable we’ll go, I promise. Incredibly hot drummer can wait and I’ll put my terrible flirting skills to use another day.”

“Oh, alright.” You said, taking the key out of the ignition and climbing out of your car. “How do I get in again?”

“Just go up to the bouncer at the front and mention me. He’ll stamp you and send you on in. Meet me on the second level! I’ll be near the stage.” There was another brief pause, a baritone voice yelling eagerly in the background. “Got to go, Chanyeol’s here. I’ll see you in a few!”With that the call ended and you shook your head, making your way over to the bar doors. It was going to be a long night, but if you were lucky it would be a fun one.  
Hand freshly stamped you made your way in, quickly locating the staircase to the next level and picking your way through the crowd. You jogged up the stairs, carefully dodging people with drinks and made a break for the first empty space you saw. Safely camped out by the railing overlooking the stage you surveyed the upper level in search of your friend. You scanned the slowly dispersing crowd, gaze eventually landing and lingering on a man near the bar. His hair was swept back, and looked as if someone had run their hands through it- messy yet stylish. Your gaze swept down and goodness, he was beautiful. Muscular arms on full display, the tank he wore either never having sleeves in the first place or having been torn off… A sculpted jaw and lips that could only be described as kittenish… which were now curled into a grin directed right at you.

You eyes widened, face flushing at having been caught staring and you turned quickly, almost smacking directly into the person next to you.

“You made it!” Your friend called, enveloping you in a hug. “I’d like you to meet Chanyeol, one of my best friends since we were old enough to walk.” 

You shook off your embarrassment greeting the man, Chanyeol, with a polite smile. “It’s nice to meet you. I’ve heard so much about your band. Is this your first show in the area or just at this particular bar?”

“We’ve played here before, but before the place was remodeled. They booked us for the grand reopening and here we are. At the risk of sounding cliche, you go out to bars often?” He laughed when you hesitated, assuring you his question was harmless and just out of curiosity. “She,” he indicated your friend who seemed to be rounding up a few people and leading them your way. “always was a people person, orchestrating these big get-togethers and everything. Never seen you around before, is all.”

“Work keeps me fairly busy so this is the first time in a long while that I’ve been out. Does it show?” You asked, hesitantly.

“Nah, you’re good. I can tell you’re a little wary with the crowd but if you stick up here you’ll be fine.” He glanced behind you, a smile blooming. “Looks like she found the others.”

You turned to look, seeing your friend approaching with three men in tow, presumably the rest of the band.

“This is Zitao, the bassist.” A lanky man with golden skin and catlike eyes offered a wave, smiling at you with a soft ‘hello’. “This is the drummer, Kyungsoo.” She indicates the dark eyed man next to her with a smile and you couldn’t fight back a smile of your own when you noticed his gaze lingering on her. “And this,” she flashed a sly smile in your direction. “is the vocalist.”

Your gaze swung from your friend to the man she indicated, your jaw nearly dropping. It was the one who had caught you staring earlier.

“Hello,” he said pleasantly, offering you a brilliant smile. “It’s nice to meet you. I’m Jongdae.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Having been caught staring at the vocalist, you don't expect introductions to go well. As it turns out, you're in for a pleasant surprise.

Your friend elbowed you in the side and you shook off your stupor. “Hello,” You greeted, introducing yourself in what you hoped was a smooth manner. “It’s nice to meet you as well.”

The opening act kicked on below and you moved with the group to a spot a little ways away in order to hear one another. You chatted briefly about yourselves before curiosity got the better of you. “Did that hurt?”

“Hm? Oh, the tattoo?” He laughed as he answered, “Sorry, usually I get that question about the piercings. It wasn’t too bad. Not entirely pleasant, but I managed. You have any ink?”

“I do, actually.”

“Color or no color?”

“Color. I’d show you out with the placement it’s difficult to show off in jeans.” You smiled at the curious expression on his face and briefly wondered if it would still be that way if he ever saw it.

“Cool. When did you get it?”

“About a year ago. It didn’t really hurt too badly. The outline mostly, but the color was more uncomfortable than anything else.”

“Never seems to be as bad as you think it is, right?”

“Exactly.”

The two of you stood in comfortable silence for a few moments as you listened to the music below. “So,” he said as he put an arm around you to pull you out of range as an intoxicated patron strode by. “You’re really attractive.”

“Thank you. You’re very attractive yourself.” You smiled with a hint of shyness, confidence shining through.

He laughed and glanced down at your reply, rolling his beer between his palms as his lips curl into a smile. He stepped closer when the band kicked in to the final song and studied you briefly. “We’re up next so I’m afraid I’ll have to leave you for a few.” He glanced to the side as one of his bandmates pointed to the stairs and gave a wave as if to signal he’d head down in a minute. “Are you busy tomorrow?”

You blinked at him for a moment and took a second to process what he had said. “Ah, no I don’t believe so. Why?” You gave a mental wince at the added question- though he seemed unfazed.

“Would you-“

“Jongdae!”

He sighed heavily at the interruption, yelling back a “just a minute!” before returning his attention to you.

“Would you like to do something tomorrow?”

“Sure, what do you have in mind?”

“Maybe a walk around town? I’ll get your number when I get off stage and we can talk about it! I gotta go before the guys drag me away.” He gave you a brief hug before hurrying away, Chanyeol running after him.


	3. Three

You had a blast bouncing around to the music and even singing along whenever you caught on to the chorus of a song. The fact that Jongdae had a clear view of you on the upper level had made you slightly bashful but it would’ve been a lie to say you hadn’t gotten a small thrill whenever his gaze landed on you. As the headliner, their set had been the longest- an hour- and things finally wound down just after one in the morning. The bartenders announced last call and the crowd below moved to the upper level as you moved to the lower- figuring you’d meet your friend and the band halfway.

You carefully congratulated each of them on their performance, surprised to get a hug from Chanyeol before he bounded back to the stage to help Kyungsoo pack up the drums. He gave a wave and mouthed a thank you at your “great job” before resumed packing up. Tao packed his bass away as he thanked you and moved his amp off to the side to carry out to the car closer to closing time. Satisfied you’d found most of them, you turned your attention to finding your friend as well as Jongdae. The former was solved by a pair of arms abruptly thrown around you in an embrace which, thankfully, turned out to be your friend.

“Hey beautiful! I may have had just a tad too much to drink so I’m calling it a night. Don’t worry, I got a cab so I’m good to get home. Glad you came out, though! Oh and don’t go too far if you can help it- Jongdae’s looking for you.” She added the last with a teasing smile and gave you one more hug before she headed out. You settle back against the edge of the stage, eyes turned towards the bar as you search for Jongdae.

“There you are!”

You can’t help the tiny shriek that burst from your mouth as you jerked, startled, and smacked your arm off the stage. You cradled the stinging limb and turned to Chanyeol towering above you from the stage.

“I never left?” You mumbled confusedly as he launched himself off the stage and stopped right in the path of a familiar individual. “Oh, you meant him.” Your words fell unheard as Chanyeol chatted on and you took a moment to debate in heading out despite really wanting to talk to Jongdae some more.

“You ready to pack up? The bar closes in twenty minutes so we should get out here before the mass pours out.”

“Sure, just let me just say goodbye really quick and then I’ll help.” Jongdae gave a nod and a smile in your direction, waiting until Chanyeol got the hint. “Give me five. Oh, and don’t move the amp by yourself. Tao and I brought it in and both about fell down the stairs with it.”

You offered a smile at Chanyeol as he clambered back onto the stage, long limbs making it easy, before you returned your attention to the figure in front of you. “Hey, you guys were fantastic. I’ll have to catch you the next time you play out.”

“Thanks! Yeah, it’d be awesome to see you out at shows.” A brief pause filled the air as he fished in his pockets for his phone. “So think I could give you my number... and maybe get your number as well?”

You nodded, fighting back a laugh at his enthusiastic smile and traded numbers.

“Text me tomorrow when you get up and we’ll figure something out, ok?”


End file.
